Bob Geldof once asked us, “Where is the filtered excellence!?” It’s right here. Here are this weeks picks of what to WATCH, what to DO what to TRY what to READ what to LISTEN TO and more:
*****************
WATCH THIS:
Radio Unnameable. The director team of Paul Lovelace and Jessica Wolfson have created an outstanding documentary about the career of New York radio legend Bob Fass . Fass has had an almost 50 year career, and his show topics are a living history of New York City and American culture. Visually beautiful the doc hums with voices of 5 decades of Radio Unnameable callers . Rated 100% by Rotten Tomatoes.
Get more information at radiounnameable.com.
Hard Knocks: The Cincinnati Bengals. The popular HBO show “Hard Knocks” is back as a primer to the upcoming 2013 NFL season. Also back this season, are the Cincinnati Bengals who allowed the HBO cameras to document their training camp back in 2009. This year, coach Marvin Lewis and QB Andy Dalton prepare to make a run at the playoffs in the tough AFC North division. “Hard Knocks” starts Tuesday, August 6th at 10pm Eastern.
For more information, go to hbo.com
Europa Report. Although Europa Report is pure science fiction, it’s being praised as one of the most realistic depictions ever, of what it’s like to be in space. The vantage point of the entire film comes from the video recorders set to monitor the crew of the Europa on their mission to Mars, and even though you wouldn’t exactly call the video feeds “found”, its primarily a found footage film. Of course, it’s no spoiler to report that something goes wrong, but we’re not going to spoil what happens during the course of the mission. The film is visually stunning, and captivating. If you like movies about space, this one should be on your list. See it in a theater if you can.
Get more information at magnetreleasing.com.
Watch Europa Report (Watch Now Before It’s in Theaters)
==============================================================
LISTEN TO THIS:
Rhythm & Blues by Buddy Guy. After over 50 years in the business, touring all over the world several times over, releasing a best selling memoir, residing over a successful club in Chicago, playing with some of the greatest musicians of all-time and receiving accolades from the President on down, Buddy Guy isn’t slowing down. He hooked up with long time drummer/collaborator Tom Hambridge to release Rhythm & Blues, a 2-CD, 21 song set featuring 18 original songs. Disc 1 features what the album title says: RHYTHM & BLUES. We’re talking in-the-moment recording, back up singers, horns, the whole nine. Disc 2 is down and dirty Chicago blues as only Guy can deliver it: Soulful, heartfelt and guitar playing that is just flat out astonishing. Kid Rock, Keith Urban, Beth Hart (who absolutely torches her vocals on ‘What You Gonna Do About Me’), Gary Clark, Jr, and 3/5 of Aerosmith (Tyler, Perry, & Whitford) all make notable guest spots but Guy is clearly the star here. Buddy Guy has made his great records throughout his career. He just might have made – at the age of 77 – his best one. Rhythm & Blues is available now through Itunes, Amazon and all digital music outlets.
Order Rhythm & Blues
Harry Nilsson The RCA Albums Collection. During a 1968 press conference when asked who their favorite American recording artist was, both John Lennon & Paul McCartney replied “Nilsson.” (Lennon reportedly listened to Harry’s debut album- ‘Pandemonium Shadow Show’ for 36 hours straight.) This definitive collection includes all 14 albums released on RCA from 1967 through 1977. Also included are three “Rarities” CD’s featuring 58 tracks, 29 of which are previously unreleased. Listen as Harry ‘covers’ his own songs made famous by others- Three Dog Night (“One”), the Monkees (“Cuddly Toy”), the Yardbirds (“Ten Little Indians”), and Blood, Sweat & Tears (“Without Her.”) Begin the journey with Nilsson Schmilsson (includes ‘Without You’, ‘Coconut’ & ‘Jump Into The Fire’) and joyfully follow it up with the award-winning fable, The Point. Harry Nilsson is an American treasure. The Beatles recognized that instantly. Now its your turn!
Order The RCA Albums Collection at Amazon.com.
==============================================================
BROWSE THIS:
The Reserve Channel on YouTube. This online channel delivers a number of shows that looks into the creative process in the world of music, photography, cooking alongside programs that deal with travel and health. Some of the shows include Artist Tlk hosted by Pharrell Williams; Capture, which is hosted by photographer Mark Seliger; Hooked Up with Tom Colicchio and much more. All of the previous shows are available and run under 30 minutes which gives you enough time to get caught up. The Reserve Channel is available now on YouTube.
You can also to www.uncommon-content.com for additional information.
The Oprah & Deepak 21-Day Meditation Challenge. Dr. Deepak Chopra and Oprah Winfrey are inviting everyone to sign up for a free 3 week course in meditation. The guided meditation group begins Monday, August 5th and hopes to allow people to connect to the world around them and discover the wonders that come from meditation.
To sign up and be part of a of national group learning this practice, go to chopracentermeditation.com
==============================================================
DO THIS:
New York City: Watch That Man: David Bowie, Movie Star. The Elinor Bunin Munroe Film Center August 2 – August 8. The film career of the man they call The Thin White Duke gets a week long retrospective at Lincoln Center. It features the essentials (D.A. Pennebacker’s electric Ziggy Stardust & The Spider From Mars and the still-trippy The Man Who Fell To Earth), notable guest appearances (Absolute Beginners, Basquiat, Labyrinth, The Prestige), and cult classics (The Hunger, Merry Christmas, Mr Lawrence). But the real must sees of this series is the rarely shown material Bowie did for the BBC: Cracked Actor, a sometimes unnerving look at a drawn out Bowie on the Diamond Dogs tour; Baal, in which Bowie plays the title character in the adaptation of the Bertolt Brecht play and Just A Gigolo with Bowie playing a Prussian officer turned paid escort. Bowie’s music from his Berlin years provides the soundtrack for the still shocking Christiane F, a film about a young girl’s plunge into heroin addiction (Bowie also appears in the film singing ‘Station To Station’). This film, rarely seen in the States, will be screened during this series. There will also be viewings of all of Bowie’s videos, post screenings Q&A, after-parties and much more. A must see for an Bowie fan. Watch That Man will run from August 2nd through the 8th.
You can go to www.filmlinc.com for a complete run down and more information.
New York City: Intolerance. The Film Forum August 2 through August 8, 2013. To say D.W. Griffith was a film pioneer would be an understatement. He was largely responsible for developing the full length feature and his use of narrative and editing are used today as a matter of course. His 1915 film The Birth Of A Nation was Hollywood’s first true blockbuster, earning 10 million dollars in its initial release and in time, grossed over 50 million. But the film also drew heavy criticism: It told the story of the formation of the Ku Klux Klan from the Klan’s perspective and depicted blacks (white actors in blackface) as ignorant and sexually aggressive towards white women. The NAACP held protests and riots broke out in several cities after screenings. Stung by charges that he was a racist, Griffith made Intolerance with the hopes of showing what true prejudice is. The film tells of man’s intolerance through the ages: The mission and crucifixion of Christ, The Fall Of Babylon, The St. Bartholomew’s Day Massacre of 1572 and a modern story showing how corporate greed, union conflict and the self-righteous ruin the lives of a young couple. It’s considered Griffith’s masterpiece and influenced everyone from Charlie Chaplin, John Ford, Alfred Hitchcock, Cecil B. DeMile; Orson Welles and Jean Renoir, and even Martin Scorsese and Quentin Tarantino. This version is the 2 hour, 47 minute cut with its original tinting and toning restored and the Carl Davis score conducted by Luxembourg Radio Symphony Orchestra. A rare opportunity to see the film that changed cinema forever. Intolerance will be at The Film Forum August 2nd through the 8th.
You can go to www.filmforum.org for more information.
Los Angeles, California. The Electric Dusk Drive-In. As the last month of Summer starts, take in a drive-in movie in the heart of downtown LA. Park and enjoy the show or get a special astroturf ticket and sit on the grass under the giant screen. The Summer 2013 series continues this Saturday, August 3rd with “Little Shop of Horrors” starting at 8:30pm. The series also concludes at the end of August with a drive-in screening of Alfred Hitchcock’s “Vertigo”.
For more information and tickets, go to electricduskdrivein.com
Grand Rapids, Michigan. Randy Newman at Meijer Gardens. Oscar, Emmy, Grammy winner and Hall of Famer, Randy Newman will play outdoors at one of the most spectacular venues the country has to offer. Randy will be performing at the Amphitheater Garden at the Frederik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park in Grand Rapids. Art and nature come together in a beautiful setting and there’s no better way to enjoy it than with the legendary composer, singer, songwriter and pianist Randy Newman.
For tickets and more information, go to meijergardens.org
Want More Excellence? Visit FilteredExcellence.com